A New Detective
by BadgerLeopard
Summary: And next on BBC One, we go back in time a little to an unexplored era of Saint Marie. Sit back, relax and prepare to meet... a new detective!


**A New Detective**

**Featuring DI Johnny Trevolo, DI Arnold Walker, DS Alexa Sanchez, Sergeant Louise Pascal and Officer Victor Diesel**

DI Johnny Trevolo had done it. He had figured it all out. All he needed to do was arrest the suspect.  
He had been trying to work out who had killed Winston Rears and, because of something Louise had said, he had figured it all out. But the arrest would probably have to wait until after Christmas Day. That was for certain.

Currently, he was removing the two roast tunas and vegetable burgers that had been roasting for the last hour and placing them on a chopping board nearby. He somehow needed to divide the tunas into eight, as that was how many guests there were at his house: him, his wife, his two children, his brother, his nephews and his mother.  
"Shall I cut the tuna?" offered his wife, Melina, who was stood at the door into the kitchen, "You can rest for a bit, if you want. You've been working for the last hour."  
"Alright then. You do have a fair point."  
And so he left the kitchen.

Five minutes later, the Trevolo family were tucking into their tuna and their veggie burgers happily. Johnny's mother, Teresa, was chatting to Melina, whilst Johnny and his brother were gladly gossiping, every now and again taking a bite of tuna.  
However, a few seconds into their conversation, Johnny began to cough and splutter violently. He grabbed his chest firmly and began to choke, falling to the floor with a thud. Fear ran round the room rapidly, shortly before Johnny's eyes fell shut.  
He was dead.

The news reached Honore Police headquarters swiftly, saddening DS Alexa Sanchez, Sergeant Louise Pascal and Officer Victor Diesel.  
Alexa was a young Caribbean woman, with long brown hair and a kind face. Her wise blue eyes could brighten any normal situation, but this wasn't any normal situation. Her colleague, Louise, had a similar origin, but had short black hair and a brave, honest face. Victor, meanwhile, was a middle-aged Caribbean man, dressed in the usual Honore Police officer uniform: blue shirt, blue trousers and trainers.  
"What do we do now?" Louise asked Alexa, reluctant to see the body.  
"We figure out who did this. Because I know that we all have families to see but Johnny was more than family. He was more than a friend. He could brighten any situation, no matter how dark. And we can only do him justice by finding his killer."

Arriving on the scene quickly, DS Sanchez emerged from the Honore Police four by four and entered the house, accompanied by her colleagues.

The body in the living room quickly put to rest any theories that they had about him surviving: the middle-aged Caribbean man had certainly died.  
"Victor, start questioning the suspects." Alexa instructed, putting on a pair of white gloves and kneeling down to examine the body.  
"What should I do, Alexa?" Louise wondered, standing around, doing nothing.  
"Take out a notepad and write down any details that I tell you to write."

Meanwhile, Victor was in Johnny's bedroom, where the rest of the family was gathered: Melina, the victim's wife; Teresa, the mother; Trevor, the victim's brother; Jacko and Chris, the brother's children and David and Jude, the victim's children.  
"So, what did the victim have to eat? Was there an opportunity for there to be a poisoning?" Victor questioned to nobody in particular.  
"Well, he said he would cook a roast tuna and a couple of veggie burgers." explained Melina, "We always have them for our Christmas lunch. I said I would cut up the tuna and serve it, as he had worked a lot during the day."  
"And was there an opportunity to poison the food?"  
"No. I remember clearly just cutting up the food and serving it. Nobody came in. Nobody came out."

"What about the drinks? Any chance of poisoning in the drinks?"  
"Not a chance." said Trevor, "I poured them myself and I would know if they would be poisoned."  
"Right. Thank you."

Ten minutes later, the three police officers took out a whiteboard and made their investigation database (a whiteboard with photographs of things relating to their investigation on it).  
"So, did we find much?" Alexa wondered, hands on hips and leaning on her desk.  
"Not really, no." Victor and Louise agreed simultaneously, just before Commissioner Patterson walked in with another person. The Commissioner was a young man, with short black hair and who wore a beige commissioner's outfit (a suit and tie). The newcomer, however, was a young Englishman with short brown hair and who was dressed in a brown tweed jacket and white shirt.  
"Team," the Commissioner said, "I thought you may have needed some help after the loss of DI Trevolo."  
"So who is this, Commissioner?" Victor asked inquisitively.  
"This is DI Arnold Walker. He has come highly recommended from London and he will be helping you with your enquiries. I'll leave you all to your introductions."  
The Commissioner then left, leaving the new detective with the old team.  
"Hello," Arnold said cheerfully, holding out his hand, "I'm very pleased to meet you all. Would you mind running through everything that you've got on the case so far?"

"Ah." Alexa confessed awkwardly, "We haven't got much."  
"Then run me through the basics."

Having explained what they had found (that Johnny had been poisoned somehow), Arnold started to pace up and down the room.  
"Have you considered suicide?" he asked Louise, whilst pacing.  
"But why would someone like Johnny want to commit suicide?" Louise countered, "He would always look on the positive side of life, whenever something bad happened. Believe me, Inspector, it isn't suicide."  
"It is still an option though. Did he have any secrets? Any former criminal colleagues?"  
This angered Alexa.  
"Inspector, why do you think such things? Johnny was our friend. He was an innocent man who's done a lot for this island."  
"Well, Ms..."  
"Sanchez. Alexa Sanchez."  
"Well, Ms Sanchez, people always tell their friends the things they want them to hear. People get burnt when secrets begin to bubble unexpectedly to the surface. Just bear that in mind."

The next day, after Arnold had spent the night in an uncomfortable little beach shack, the four police officers reunited at the scene of the crime, to allow Arnold time to see what had happened.  
"Did he have any allergies?" he asked the team, who shook their heads in agreement.  
"We always went out to dinner at Catherine's bar and he never showed any sign of a nut allergy." Victor explained to him.  
"And these meals at the bar, what did he have? Did he always have the same thing?"  
"Yes. He had his usual favorite after a long day's work: roast shellfish with masala sauce and rice. I don't know why he liked it, but he just did."  
"So he would happily eat fish every day, but he never had any nuts. Did he eat nuts at all when you were near him?"  
"I don't remember him doing so." Alexa remembered, "Should we ask the family?"  
"Yes. But I want, erm..."  
He pointed at Louise and Victor.  
"Louise and Victor."  
"Yes, those two to do it. You and I, Alexa, need to have a chat about Johnny's last case."

While Victor and Louise were asking the family about whether DI Trevolo had any allergies, Arnold and Alexa were sat in the dining room, opposite each other.  
"Was Johnny working on any cases before he died?" he asked her.  
"Define 'before'."  
"I mean a few days prior to his death."  
She paused for a few moments, remembering exactly what he had been working on.  
"A young backpacker had been shot in the forest a week ago. Winston Rears. We were getting nowhere with the case, so we abandoned it for after Christmas."  
"Ms Sanchez, I think I've solved the murder of Johnny Trevolo. But just ask me one question: was there any way that someone from the outside could have shot Mr Rears?"  
"Yes."  
And at that moment, Victor and Louise returned with grave looks on their faces.  
"They said that he did have an allergy, but he never told anyone." Victor explained, before adding, "To be kind."  
"And was this a nut allergy?" Arnold questioned him.  
"Yes, sir, it was."  
"Good. I think I know how he was killed then."  
"Really?" Alexa queried.  
He smiled at her.  
"Really."

Arnold, Alexa, Louise and Victor all stood before the Trevolo family, ready to tell them the truth. This burden had been given to Arnold, considering how he had solved it.  
"Ladies and gentlemen," he explained, "I believe I have a theory of how Johnny Trevolo, your beloved family member, died. I have come here today to tell you of this theory, and to unmask the killer at the centre of this scheme."  
"So who was it?" Teresa demanded.  
"Allow me to explain..."

_About a week ago, a backpacker called Winston Rears was shot dead. Johnny was assigned to that case and he did not know who the killer was. Until somehow a piece slotted into place: an unexpected jigsaw piece fitting into a grander puzzle. Who was this jigsaw piece?_

He pointed at Trevor.

_Trevor Trevolo. Because I presume you had some dodgy history with Winston Rears. You see, I did some private research of mine and found nine charges listed against your name. One of which was shooting someone dead. The wife of Winston Rears, to be precise. Winston was the only one present at the time and, seven years later, decided that enough was enough. He was about to confess after a day's backpacking and you had to put a stop to it. So you killed Winston._

"Does that mean that Trevor killed Johnny?" Melina wondered.  
"No. That is what I'm coming to."

_Bring the action forward a week, and Johnny finds out that his own brother killed someone. He doesn't tell any of his colleagues so that his own family is protected, but realises that he cannot cope with the emotional trauma of it all. My colleagues have told me that he was always honest and never was in the heart of chaos, yet this pressure was enough to drive a man to suicide. And yes, it was a suicide. That is the horrid truth that we have to face on this Boxing Day. Shall I inform you of how it was done?_

The family solemnly nodded.

_He deliberately buys nut cutlets, as he has a life threatening nut allergy. But, to stop you lot from saving his life, he also purchases veggie burgers. He gives you the veggie burgers and tells you, probably, that he is just eating leftovers. And then he lets nature take its course._

A tear crawled down Melina's face, as she glared at Trevor.  
"Victor," Arnold ordered, "arrest Mr Trevolo."  
Whilst Victor snapped a pair of handcuffs on Trevor's hands, Alexa walked up to him and smiled.  
"That was brilliant, sir." she commented, "I was wrong about you at first. Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it. We managed to solve the murder. That's what counts. Now come on, Alexa, take me to Catherine's bar. I want to sample the local cuisine."

After locking up Trevor, the four police officers sat down at a table outside Catherine Bordey's bar.  
"Ah, I take it that you must be the new Inspector," Catherine Bordey deduced, walking over to Arnold, "Catherine Bordey. Your first week is on the house."  
Catherine was dressed in extraordinarily flamboyant clothes and was rather young.  
"Yes I am."  
"How are you finding the island?"  
"I'm enjoying it very much. In fact, I think I might stay."  
And everyone smiled happily.

**THE END**


End file.
